This guy has delusions of grandeur.
Ald. Syed Abbas, District 12, is leading the charge to change Madison consumers’ behavior about single use plastic. Theproposed ordinance would prohibit restaurants from providing plastic beverage straws to dine-in customers unless the patron asks for one. Â
“We will start with the plastic straw as a first step, and we will try to change people’s behavior,” Abbas said.
Geez… it seems to me that an alderman from a medium-sized city should be more concerned with making sure the potholes are fixed and the trash is picked up instead of trying to change people’s beverage consumption preferences. Why does every elected official at every level think they have an obligation to control every aspects of our lives?
But the disabled…
But disability rights advocates worry the ordinance as written could increase stigmatization of individuals with limited mobility. And a restaurant industry group is concerned that the city is unnecessarily micromanaging local businesses.
[…]
Bella Sobah, chair of the city’s Disability Rights Commission, said plastic straws are a necessity for people with limited mobility. Putting the burden of asking for a plastic straw on a patron who may have disabilities could create further stigmatization and isolation.
“This community is already facing a lot of barriers in society, and that’s one more thing I think we could avoid,” Sobah said.
Sustainable alternatives to plastic straws, like paper or metal, can cause discomfort. Sobah said paper straws disintegrate quickly for someone who may consume liquids slowly, and metal straws are not conducive for drinking hot beverages, like coffee.
That’s a legitimate concern. You know what else is a legitimate concern? Many able-bodied people want to use a dang straw.
When you are so “woke” that you must punish those with disabilities in pursuit of your radical leftisit environmental righteousness.
Awful. Just awful.
Paper straws suck.
That is a ludicrous objection. It earns the “Whine of a Cheese” award for 2019, even though the year is only 2/3rds passed.
But the ordinance proposal? ‘Silly things from silly people.’
Interesting position regarding folks with disabilities. Recall that just a few days ago k et al were incensed that a handicapped member of the WI assembly should ask for accommodations to allow him to participate in legislative actions.
Nord,
Big difference.
This is taking away a choice people with disabilities already have.  Liberals are all about destroying choice, especially for most vulnerable in our society.
The other one is an Assembly rule and that would grant special privilege, available to no one else.
It’s crazy that you do not see the difference.
k:
So you get to choose who and where discrimination is acceptable, right? Yes, or no?
So why does a legally blind legislator from Green Bay get a special driver at tax-payer expense to get him to and from Madison? (for the record – I agree with that policy) That is a special privilege, yes or no?
Nord,
How the legislature accomadates a disability is one thing. That is a very debateable issue.
Destroying a CURRENT CHOICE of someone with a disability in the name of radical environmental righteousness…that is reprehensible.
Get a better religion.
No k, discrimination is discrimination. Even vos finally realized that.
And look how you brought religion into the discussion.  You are soooo predictable.
Nord,
So is the straw ordinance discrimination against those with disabilities?
No.
Nord,
So the disability advocates in the article are to be dismissed and put in the closet?
That is horrible.
What happened to “discrimination is discrimination”?
You are fine with force of government to pluck the straw out of the mouth of someone with limited mobility?
If that is OK in your book, you really are reprehensible…
k:
What part of “unless the patron asks for one” don’t you understand? Or didn’t you bother to read the article?
That isn’t discrimination.
Can we save words like “reprehensible” for issues more serious than opinions about straw usage?
How old is this guy? Does he not realize that plastic straws came into existence because you couldn’t suck a shake or a Slurpee through a paper straw? Plastic cups because the waxed paper cups were notorious leakers? Find something new other than plastic if you must, but paper isn’t the answer today any more than it was in the mid-70s. There’s got to be a kid genius somewhere on the planet with a better idea.
Until then we can all hide behind the needs of the disabled for our plastic straws.
Sounds like post-facto rationalization, Merlin. I bet a doughnut it was cost, pure and simple. Plastic was cheaper.
Good ol’ Jiffy, the one-track 0-or-1 programmer.
Never occurs to him that BOTH price AND quality are the reasonS for the switch. Nope. Has to be Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeevil greeeeeeeeeeeeed.
He felt the Bern and it fried his circuits.
Nord,
Putting extra hoops in the way of the disabled is discrimination.
Your environmental righteousness on this does not even provide a measurable benefit.
Awful. Just awful.
Get a better religion.
One that is more compassionate.
k:
Nope it isn’t. I didn’t bring “environmental righteousness” into the discussion, nor religion. Perhaps you could show us all the exact quote(s).
Dad29, again, don’t get too excited. Capitalism wins when lower cost and a better product come hand in hand, right? You think Merlin’s time-line and rationalizations are right? There were shakes and slurpees in the days of paper straws and somehow we survived.
Nord,
What do you think the obnoxious ordinance is all about….environmental righteousness by virtue signaling liberals.
It’s an awful religion picking on the disabled.
Get a better religion.
But you, and only you, brought it up. Or will you deny that as well?
Doesn’t your religion look unfavorably on dishonesty?
Well, let’s see.
Can’t use plastic for straws because they make up 0.022% of the plastic “found” in the ocean (If your religion is science modeling, like Nort)
Can’t use paper because… the trees, stupid (and glue, even if you like ingesting that kind of stuff, like Jiffy)
Can’t use metal because it take lots and lots of fossil fuel energy to produce, and libbies just can’t abide fossil fuels (also : https://www.livescience.com/65925-metal-straw-death.html).
Perhaps we’ll all end up sucking on bamboo shoots, and hopefully the invasive species won’t end up like loosetrife in the cattails.
As to why politicians don’t concentrate on pot holes and garbage pickup, well that’s the hard stuff. Nannyism and preening is easy.
I did not bring it up.
The radical environmental disciples on Madison City council brought it up.
You are supporting them as a good little follower, hurting the disabled.
Get a more compassionate religion.
Jjf,
This is not about straw usage, but the liberty for patrons, businesses, and the disabled.
You liberals want to destroy the liberty of all 3 parties, in pursuit of your false environmental righteousness!
When it comes to your false virtue signaling, keep it to yourself. Don’t involve others in your cult.
No soup for you, Kevin. This is a private establishment. We’ll give you what we want, on our terms.
Jjf,
That is whole point. These virtue signaling liberals do not want to give private establishment any choice in their self appointed false righteousness.
Why is it liberals can inflict their sick worldly morality on a whim, but Christian’s are often verboten from speaking true morality?
Why must we always follow disgusting liberal righteousness?
How deep is the liberal environmental cult morality?
k:
Sure you did, “Your environmental righteousness on this does not even provide a measurable benefit”, as well as religion, christianity, cults, liberty, and hurting the disabled. And as usual, you resort to name calling to make your point.
Awful, just awful.
Nord,
Yeah, I really whipped up a frenzy of name calling talking about the issue of bad liberal motives and world view.
Did I bruise your raspberries?
Kevin’s got the Trump disease. Everything’s disgusting to him.
jjf,
Does this mean I am more disliked by liberals than plastic straws?
You’ll need to tell me what you think you’re most well-known for, Kevin.
jjf,
Probably my DQ door sign which enrages intolerant liberals in at least 23 countries.
Is that important to whether I am hated worse than those sweet, innocent, beverage delivering, thirst quenching, plastic straws in the liberal lexicon?
Nord,
So is the straw ordinance discrimination against those with disabilities?
Uneducated Le Roi: No
Uneducated Le Roi, are you really that stupid. Well, yes you are.
Some disabled folks need plastic straw, especially bendy straws to drink.
But I realize you don’t care about these people.
marbles:
What part of “unless the patron asks for one” don’t you understand?